Customer Reviews

The Captive (Secret Circle)

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I couldn't put it down! I set my record-I finished the book faster than any other! I'm just in agony that I won't know the ending til they reprint the third! I have 1 &2, and will get 3 ASAP; you gotta read this, what in the world are you thinking if you say no to it?!!!!

"The Captive" is the second book in the Secret Circle Trilogy by L. J. Smith, her most worthwhile trilogy. In the first book "The Initiation", teenager Cassie Blake and her mother moved to New Salem, where she was adopted by a group of witches within the school, who needed a twelfth member for the completion of their coven. There were complications however: although Cassie is instant friends with the coven leader Diana, Diana's cousin Faye is hostile and manipulative toward her. Meanwhile, Cassie has fallen for Diana's boyfriend Adam, and now Faye is blackmailing Cassie into doing whatever she asks - if she doesn't, she'll tell Diana the truth.

And what Faye is after is the sinister crystal skull that the coven uncovered, but that Cassie suspects is somehow behind the awful deaths of several people within New Salem - and she knows that it'll become twice as dangerous if it ends up in Faye's hands. But telling Diana that her beloved boyfriend and her best friend have been cheating on her would break her heart, as well as see her kicked out of the coven. She seemingly has no choice but to get Faye the skull - but first she has to find it...

Meanwhile, Cassie is investigating other strange occurrences around New Salem - she's been experiencing odd dreams, and her mother and grandmother's behaviour is still secretive and aloof. She finds a sealed and blocked off cellar at the local cemetery, as well as an unusual feature on the graves of the other witches' parents - all of them died in 1976. What happened that year to kill so many of the first generation? Another time phenomena strikes Cassie as odd - all the teenage witches celebrate their birthdays within three months of each other, almost as if the parents coordinated their children's' births.

As well as this there is the usual teenager-novel fare: school dances, joy riding, bullying, hormones, raunchy games, and a sprinkling of witchy rituals throughout. Finally though, the story accumulates with the vote for the permanent coven leader, a position coveted by both Faye and Diana, and a disaster that reveals much of the back-story to the terrible happenings at New Salem.

However, the story ends with one of L. J. Smith's frustrating cliff-hangers which forces you to track down and pay for the next book before you find out what happens. I've always found this to be one of the most unappealing components of Smith's books, unlike book series like "Harry Potter" for example, with each installment containing a full, complete plot, Smith's books are divided into several volumes for the simple reasoning: they get more money this way. If there is a publication out there that combines all three of the books into one, I suggest getting that instead of spending money on three separate books.

"The Captive" is possibly the best book in the series, melding several mysteries and plot devices into a whole, with enough intrigue and suspense to keep anyone interested. Cassie's dilemma certainly makes compulsive reading, as does the duality between Diana and Faye, and the direction that the coven can take. The figure of Black John lurks in the background like a sinister shadow (and is certainly Smith's best villain) and again Smith deftly portrays the relationships and attitudes of normal, understandable characters in an abnormal situation. Here we get to see a little more of the personalities of the rest of the coven, and although the Cassie/Adam love match still seems a little unlikely to me, it shakes things up well for the final book "The Power".

Book two began exactly where the first left off! Cassie was part of the Circle. Faye was blackmailing Cassie to help her become the Coven's leader when the votes were next cast. Cassie, torn between what she felt for Adam and her loyalty toward Diana, would do almost anything to keep Faye from twisting truths into believable lies!

Meanwhile, more dark energy escapes from the crystal skull and more kids are found dead from the high school. Cassie will lose a loved one, find her working stone, learn some shocking family secrets, and her grandmother will reveal who Black John is and where he is now!

Lastly, all secrets of all the Coven members are about to be revealed!

***** This one is not as gripping as the first was, but still exciting! (Cassie is finally getting a back bone!) I am left eager to dive into the third book! Thank goodness I purchased all three books of this trilogy at once! Terrific series! *****

The Captive begins right where the first book left off. Faye is blackmailing Cassie into voting for her. Somehow Faye found out about Cassie and Adam and she's still threatening to tell Diana. So now Cassie is torn between her intense loyalty towards Diana and her feelings for Adam. She doesn't want Faye lying to Diana and hurting her. Faye also blackmails Cassie into getting the crystal skull and when Faye gets it she accidently releases more dark energy. In this exciting sequal we will learn more about Cassie's family's past, and Cassie will lose someone she cares about.

Another great read. If you like this, be sure to check out the Night World series also by L.J. Smith

Book two began exactly where the first left off! Cassie was part of the Circle. Faye was blackmailing Cassie to help her become the Coven's leader when the votes were next cast. Cassie, torn between what she felt for Adam and her loyalty toward Diana, would do almost anything to keep Faye from twisting truths into believable lies!

Meanwhile, more dark energy escapes from the crystal skull and more kids are found dead from the high school. Cassie will lose a loved one, find her working stone, learn some shocking family secrets, and her grandmother will reveal who Black John is and where he is now!

Lastly, all secrets of all the Coven members are about to be revealed!

***** This one is not as gripping as the first was, but still exciting! (Cassie is finally getting a back bone!) I am left eager to dive into the third book! Thank goodness I purchased all three books of this trilogy at once! Terrific series!

I love all L. J. Smith books. I believe she is a very talented writer and hope that she'll continue coming up with all these brilliant sttories. I own all of the Night World Books and I have read everything she has written. But I especially love the Secret Circle. Its, by far, the best I've read. I just hope they reprint the whole set.

I love all the 11 books I have read of her's she is an excellent writer and I love the Vampire Diaries Series. All her books have made me cry.I have even wanted to re-read them because they are so wonderful. I have never wanted to re-read a book before because i always thought it would be boring. This was way different and she is an excellent writer. I thank her for choosing to pursue her writing career because she is making alot of people happy by reading her books!

After obtaining the skull for Faye and letting loose a blast of dark energy, Cassie is determined to not be her slave anymore and wants out of the deal, even if it means that Faye tells Diana about Cassie and Adam. Faye traps her one more time and makes Cassie swear to vote for her in the vote for permanent coven leader, instead of Diana.

Faye wins the vote and her first order is to tell Cassie to get the skull and in the neighborhood cemetery, after making a rather weak circle of protection, sets loose a blast of dark energy that makes the skull explode and disappear, giving it a form and knocking the circle members around in the process. This time the power heads straight for Cassie's house and after making her mother go into shock, proceeds to set her house on fire and kill her grandmother with a heart attack.

The group manages to get Mrs. Blake out, but it is too late to move Cassie's grandmother and she dies in the house, but not before telling Cassie who the power is, who he was and what he had done since 1693, along with giving her the family's spell book. This act spurs Cassie in action and she tells off Faye and in retaliation Faye turns to Diana and smiles, proceeding to say she's got something to tell her.

This is the seond in Lisa Jane Smiths trilogy, and now that I've read it I cant wait for the next! Hidding the fact that shes in love with Adam, her best friends boyfriend and the fact that shes being blackmailed by Faye Cassie is almost pushed to the limit. Wanting to tell but cant. But in the end the truth comes out..

This is the first book by L.J. Smith that I read. I was leaving to go on a vacation and I wanted something to read. I happened to pick this book and the two that follow after it and I've been hooked on L.J. Smith books ever since. Out of all of her three part series, this is one of my favorites. I was going to say it IS my favorite but I can't decide between this one and The Forbidden Game. They are both excellent!